26th Annual
Bell of Hope Celebration
First held in 2000, the Bell of Hope Celebration honors leaders in Philadelphia’s mental health community while raising awareness and funds to support the mission and work of Mental Health Partnerships (MHP). This year our Legacy Impact Award honorees will be Stephen and Sandra Sheller, whose extraordinary philanthropic leadership and community impact have transformed systems of care, inclusion, and recovery across Greater Philadelphia and beyond.
Relive the moments of our 26th Annual Bell of Hope Celebration:
Legacy Impact Award, Stephen and Sandra Sheller
Honoring a transformational leader whose enduring contributions have redefined systems of care, inclusion, and recovery at a structural and societal level. We are proud to be honoring philanthropists Stephen and Sandra Sheller for their enduring commitment to behavioral health recovery. Most recently, they have done important philanthropy focused on addiction recovery through Jefferson Health’s Stephen and Sandra Sheller Consult and Bridge Program which enhances the work of the Jefferson Addiction Multidisciplinary Service (JAMS) to improve patient engagement and success in recovery for patients with severe substance use disorder.
Innovator Peer Award, Stefanie Glick
Celebrating a Certified Peer Specialist who engages in direct, one-on-one support and sparks personal change. We are proud to honor Stefanie Glick, founder of the LiveWell Foundation, with the Innovator Peer Award. Drawing on her own lived experience, Stefanie created the LiveWell Program: an unique behavioral health curriculum that has helped thousands of peers learn to reduce their own symptoms and relapses of depression, and to live more resilient, connected and productive lives. Her commitment to providing peer-led, educational-based LiveWell support groups at no cost to people of all ages and backgrounds is sparking real change—empowering people to transform their own lives, reducing stigma, and paving the way for a more equitable mental health system.
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Paving the Way Program Award, Merakey Mental Health Walk-In Clinic
Highlighting innovative programs that revolutionize the delivery of support and inclusive programs. Since opening in September of 2024, this year’s honoree, the Merakey Mental Health Walk-In Clinic, has served over 3,000 individuals with same-day, compassionate, culturally responsive care. As Philadelphia’s first Adult Behavioral Health Urgent Care, it fills critical service gaps—safely de-escalating 80% of self-reported crises without hospitalization, reducing unnecessary emergency room and crisis response center visits, and expanding equitable access. Presenting the program nationally at NATCON 2025, the clinic is a pioneering model that truly paves the way for responsive mental health care.
